Dogs are so adorable that everybody wants to play and cuddle with them all day. These pups can help us boost our mood whenever we need it. Likewise, service dogs get trained to help humans with special needs.
Leo, a 6-year-old boy from Australia, was born with an airway defect and is living with Autism and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). His parents thought adopting a dog trained to assist their child could help him ease his anxiety.
Bronwyn Camplin, Leo’s mom, said that the process of getting a service dog wasn’t easy for them. They had to raise over $20,000 to apply for the assistance dog program. After that, they had to fly out to Brisbon and quarantine in a hotel before they could pick the doggo up.
Jester, a Labradoodle mix, is Leo’s new best friend. Despite going through so much work before the pup came home with them, Bronwyn says it was all worth it. It was relieving for them to think that when they go out in public and Leo starts moving around a lot, they could easily find him with Jester’s help.
In just two weeks, Leo’s parents had seen a significant improvement in his mood. The child adores his buddy so much because he loves how cuddly his pupper is. He enjoys playing outside and having Jester around him all the time.
Bronwyn says that Leo used to have a hard time falling asleep. So they had to lie with him in his room until he gets exhausted and dozes off, and sometimes it could take them hours. But with Jester there, they just put Leo in bed, and he immediately falls asleep with no problem.
Leo’s parents hope that Jester could soon accompany their kid every day in school and hospitals during his regular check-ups. Eventually, they want to have Jester trained to recognize when Leo is having difficulty breathing so the pupper could warn them for emergencies.
Video Credit: 9 News Australia
